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Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a large salt water sea known for its moderate climate between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean naturally and to the Red Sea by the Suez Canal. Mediterranean Sea in "Down in the Bottomlands" The Bottomlands formed a unique desert with parts of it almost two km below mean sea level. Most of it was part of the Hereditary Tyranny of Tartesh with a smaller, southern portion claimed by the Principality of Lissonland. Due to the harsh climate, the Bottomlands were not occupied aside from some mining operations. The deepest part of the land was a nature preserve of Tartesh called Trench Park. Some 20 million years ago the southwest section of the Great Continent was separated from the rest by ocean. However, continental drift moved it northward where the eastern section (present day Krepalgan Unity) first collided leaving a long, narrow arm of the Western Ocean between them. Some 6.5 million years ago the two parts of the continent collided in the west forcing up the Barrier Mountains. Over the next million years this inland sea repeatedly dried up and was flooded as the Barrier was breached and reformed. This stabilized and for the last 5.5 million years, the Bottomlands remained desert.See, e.g., We Install and Other Stories, loc. 2347-2359. Mediterranean Sea in "The Horse of Bronze" The Inner Sea was a large body of salt water between Europe and Africa. The waters of the Inner Sea were calm, but were inhabited by monsters. In the west, the Inner Sea opened into Ocean the Great. Cheiron led an expedition of centaurs across the Inner Sea in order to reestablish contact with the Nuggies, and had to flee the mans across the sea upon his return home. Mediterranean Sea in The War That Came Early The Mediterranean Sea was vital to both the Spanish Nationalists, as all their supplies came across from Italy, and England, who needed control of the sea in order to supply their forces in the Middle East and India. Despite French and British attempts, the sea lanes from Italy to Spain remained open, while like wise, the Fall of Gibraltar failed to close off the Mediterranean to the English. In 1941, the Mediterranean once more became a battle ground when Italy ratcheted up the war against the UK as punishment for leaving the alliance against the Soviet Union. Mediterranean Sea in Worldwar The Mediterranean Sea was a British lake, until Italy's entry into World War II turned the sea into a war zone. When the Race arrived in mid 1942, the Mediterranean was mostly isolated until the entire region of North Africa fell to the invaders at the end of that year. With North Africa, Spain, southern France, and Italy in their possession, the sea was virtually under control of the Race, although they did not understand its significance at first. After it became clear that the human powers were shipping vital supplies through the many bodies of water on the planet, the Race started bombing shipping in the Mediterranean as well, most importantly attacking the British base at Gibraltar. Keeping the shipping lanes open in the Mediterranean was one of the highest priority of the Royal Navy so that they could keep their forces in the Middle East and India supplied. After the Peace of Cairo, Germany absorbed all the countries that bordered the sea's north into its empire, and kept a sizable ballistic missile U-boat fleet stationed there. In 1965, when the Race-German War began, this fleet attacked Race colonies in both North Africa and Arabia with great success. However, all attempts to attack Cairo were met with failure. See also *New Water, a sea in "The Mrem Go West" which appears to be based on the Mediterranean. References Category:Seas Category:Down in the Bottomlands Category:Geological Depressions Category:The Horse of Bronze Category:The War That Came Early Category:Worldwar